The Kings check off a vital part of their offseason to-do-list
Richaun Holmes and the Sacramento Kings reached an agreement on a fully-guaranteed four-year, $55 million contract, according to a report by Shams Charania of The Athletic on Monday.
The Kings re-signed Holmes using his Early Bird Rights, which limited their ability to pay him even a penny more than the contract that he accepted. Luckily for the Kings, the market for Holmes wasn’t as robust as many predicted.
The Dallas Mavericks, Charlotte Hornets and Toronto Raptors were all linked to Holmes and had enough cap space to outbid the Kings, but it’s safe to assume none of them offered him a contract that substantially surpassed the one he accepted in Sacramento.
Holmes, 27, has been one of the few bright spots on the team the last two seasons, providing much-needed energy and night-to-night consistency at the center position. In his first two seasons as a King, Holmes averaged 13.2 points and 8.3 rebounds per game while shooting an impressive 64.1% from the field.
Aside from De’Aaron Fox, Holmes has been arguably the most effective and consistent player on the roster over the past two seasons, so retaining him on a reasonable contract is a big win for Sacramento.
The Holmes in Sacramento partnership has been mutually beneficial for both the player and the team, so it makes sense for it to continue. Hopefully, Holmes is able to continue the upward trajectory of his career and continue to bring his constant energy and effort to the Kings.